A DEPRESSED elderly man sparked a police hunt over the weekend when he vanished from his home indicating he was going to commit suicide.

Mr John Whittaker, 76, returned to Cockerill Terrace, Barrow, safe and well late on Saturday night after going missing for almost 24 hours.

He had last been seen at 8.30pm on Friday. He left a note to his sister, Adeline Little, with whom he lives, which read: "Thanks a million, without you I couldn't have managed, Jack."

Police officers said they understood Mr Whittaker -- known as Jack -- was depressed. He had left his car at home and police are not saying where he had been.

A helicopter was used, along with numerous patrols, to scour the Ribble Valley.

The search became more frantic as the hours passed, although many members of the public continued to report sightings of him.

But after all the searches, Mr Whittaker returned home late on Saturday night.